Conventional tire chains which are used for bias laid tires have not proven to be satisfactory for radial tires. Consequently, a number of approaches have been taken to the design and development of a workable traction device for radial tires. The most successful efforts have been directed to the design and construction of a cable type of tire chain in which the cross members are formed of steel wires or cables arranged at uniformly spaced intervals around the tread portion of the tire with each cross member connected at opposite ends to lateral or circumferentially extending cables which are adapted to extend along opposite sidewalls of the tire. Nevertheless, the cable type of chain has not found complete acceptance due to its relatively low wear-resistance, lack of good traction under certain road conditions, and a tendency to develop undue frictional resistance with the tire surface coupled with accompanying heat build-up and wear not only on the tire but on the cable members themselves. Efforts to solve this problem have involved the use of a combination of cable-type cross members and sleeves of limited length wherein a series of short sleeves are slidably disposed along the length of each cross member. Typical arrangements of this type are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,752,204 to Ouelette and 4,155,389 to Dwinell. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,204 a series of steel sleeves are mounted on a steel cable, the sleeves being in the form of full cylindrical tubes which are arranged to extend substantially the entire length of the cross member. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,389 the sleeves are partially split so as to permit the formation of sharpened edges capable of biting into the ice in order to develop greater traction, the sleeves being separated from the wire cable by a helically wound wire. Other representative approaches are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,528,203 to Zwosta; 2,714,914 to Champigny; 2,740,449 to Erving; 2,791,257 to Jacobson et al; 3,025,901 to Bengert; and 4,263,954 to Dwinell.
Another difficulty inherent not only in cable-type chains but link-type chains is that of installation by the average user. Proper mounting and adjustment of the chains to the desired tautness so as to properly function when installed have presented difficulties since the inception of the use of chains as auxiliary traction devices. Representative of the approach taken in the past are the hook end connectors as illustrated in the hereinbefore referred to U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,204 to Ouelette and U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,505 to Muller. In the latter, a wear link has been devised to facilitate interconnection of adjacent links in a chain to a common web-like member. Ouelette is directed more to the positioning of a retaining member which has an angled end at one end of the lateral or circumferentially extending wire and which is slotted in a manner to receive the opposite ends of the cable. Here, the desired tautness is obtained by positioning a series of stop elements or abutments along the other end of the wire which can be releasably positioned within the slotted portion of the retaining member. However, it is desirable to facilitate interconnection between the free ends of a lateral cable with a minimum of manipulation and in such a way that the ends will lie substantially flush along the tire wall and not cause any damage to the tire casing or sidewall.